Bookshop finds

My purchasing seems to happen in waves, and this last month has been a bit of a book frenzy! I just cant seem to help myself! One of my latest gems is "A Handbook for Needlework" by Olive Storer.  Published in 1927 in Melbourne, it is a textbook for elder girls in High Schools etc. (guessing final year of School??).

 It is a fascinating read, and has some great illustrations - I will share some soon. By far my favourite thing in this book is the 'Hints to follow'. As you read them, can't you just imagine a stern mistress saying them out and making the class repeat them as she hits her yard-stick against her hand...?

How many of these 'hints' do you follow today?

Wahoo! It's new project time

Nothing gets me excited like the start of a new project... the joy of a garment and I building our relationship as I sculpt life and form into its fibres... the anticipation of what it will end up like after I decide on my finishing touches...

Many of my friends get shopping highs, but I honestly enjoy this much more! And I can rest assured knowing that no-one (other than me!) was under-paid in the manufacture process. (though I am starting to get the guilts about where my fabric comes from, and the chemicals that are used in the process)

I have finally braved up to tackling a Burda Style magazine pattern... for those of you unfamiliar with Burda, this is what the patterns com like:

Not for the feint hearted! Always up for a challenge, I have decided to dive straight in, and tackle this jacket:

I am going to leave it unlined, as there really is no need for extra layers here in Queensland. In fact, it is pretty silly of me to make a jacket coming into summer, but I never promised to be sensible!

I will be learning some new techniques with this project, including: standing collar, welt pocket, flap pocket and bicep alteration. Fabric choices to come soon...

My-oh-my! What a busy week!

Summer is finally here! and what a happy dress she is :)

We spent the evening chilling out at the Mt Coot-tha lookout, taking photos and eating pizza. yum!

Saturday was spent getting loads of yummy vegetables at ridiculously cheap prices at the markets. I now have enough soup to last me for weeks! Check this out... it's a new type of fruit!

xx

It's a dress-aster!!

I was so close to finishing 'summer', just a zip and a hem away from perfection. Of course I could not simply use an invisible zip and be done with it, no I had to 'edge' it up and attempt an exposed zip similar to this:

Exposed Zip

This dress has been measured, fitted and checked every step of the way, and yet after perfectly positioning and sewing in my fabulous zip, it looks like a shapeless bulging bag. Arrrrgggghhhhh!!!!! I am so frustrated that she has been thrown into the corner of the room - I just can't bear to fix her yet!!

The other consequense of this is that I had no new dress for our photo shoot on Sunday :(. We went for our drive anyway, and took photos of the countryside instead - oh well, the weekend was not totally lost! I found some gems in a second hand book store.

got lost in a bookstore

Up-cycle

I have been reflecting on my wardrobe choices of late. While the garments that i make are bright, light and breezy, everything I have purchased lately seems to be in shades of grey.

I think that this is a sub-conscious reaction to my discovery of fit and fabric, and my disappointment with the clothing industry and it's laziness and lack of care.

We all need clothes. Just as we all need medications (at some point). My time working in pharmacy has taught me the value of 'duty of care'. The medical industry has a duty of care to make sure that what you buy 'fits' you.

Once upon a time the clothing industry also carried this duty of care. Every garment was made for the individual, taking into account their wants and needs, and ensuring that it was size perfect.

Definately NOT size perfect

I can't help but be disappointed with the industry now. So I have a duty of care to myself (and my fellow creators) (I can't bring myself to write sewers... I am not a sewage pipe!!!). I will keep going until my wardrobe is filled with bright, light, breezy pieces that are size perfect for me and my lifestyle, and can up-cycle all those drab, grey disappointing things that are currently swamping it. 

From now on, for every piece I create, I will put an existing piece in the up-cycle pile! Keep tuned to see the swaps...

Inspirational

There is just something about this image. The cascading ruffles. The deep rose flowing out to the palest pink. I just want to delve my hands into that divine silk voile. yum.

It is from a dress on display at the Valentino Retrospective exhibition that is currently displaying in Brisbane. I spent a fabulous morning there today with a great friend, after we shared breakfast at the best hidden laneway spot I have ever been to. Boy am I inspired! And so in awe of haute couture seamstresses who never touch a machine.

It is however disappointing and frustrating to be standing next to people when all that they can say is "oh I would never wear that... what was he thinking?". I guess some people will never understand that fashion is the most personal form of art.

Time to put that inspiration to good use! I have the 'summer' dress to finish this week!

This is it....

Last night, the husband got a new camera. He has wanted a digital SLR for quite some time. He has finally admitted that he wants a hobby, and he wants photography to be it.

I myself only recently became aware of the joys of a hobby. Something that you love to do that is not and never will be work. Something that you want to spend your precious time doing. Something that you are passionate about.

My hobby is sewing. I have always enjoyed building things, and have for a long time been dissapointed that models only come in 'boy' (cars, trains, tanks). One year ago, I used shopping points to get a sewing machine and I have never looked back. I get joy from tuning a pile of stuff into something beautiful, a soft sculpture if you will. 

Every now and then, I also feel the need to make things that do not involve sewing. I like to allow my making to occur without mental restraint.

So the time came to venture into this online world. Here, I hope to combine our fledgling hobbies. To share our journey with the world through my writing and his photography.

Stay tuned, there is plenty more to come...